Walking the Line
by Lio76
Summary: A shistavanen pup is taken in to the jedi order, his destiny unclear and clouded. As he rises in the jedi ranks, the darkness of his lineage seems dead. Or is it? only after the flames of the jedi civil war does he begin to think with his heart.
1. Prologue

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Prologue

Coruscant, 3972 BBY. The galaxy was a different place. The Mandelorian Wars were raging on near the outer rim. The Republic had fought for years now and the Madelorians were gaining the upper hand. But the wars on the outer rim are not the focus of our tale. Our story begins in Coruscants underbelly. In the dark of the night, two black furred Shistavanen Sith lords were on the run from a silent hunter. However, they could not go far. One of them was female and she was carrying a pup. From behind, the sound of an Aratech sniper rifle boomed in the distance, each shot missed the fleeing couple, so the hunter changed tactics. If the sith lord and lady could just find the next med clinic, they might have a chance. The female's mate would have killed the hunter, but he had to protect the child.

Faster they ran until the female could run no more. Seeing his mate lag behind, the male scooped her up and tried to carry her forward, fueling his muscles with the force. Suddenly, the sound of a slashing lightsaber cut through the night sky. In a brilliant flash of light and a massive thud, the couple's pursuer fell to the ground. A lone human with a dual hilt blue lightsaber stepped out of the shadows. The hunter tried to get off a clean hit, but it was quickly deflected. In one fluid motion, the Jedi decapitated the hunter.

"Are you two alright?" asked the man. "Not often you see Shistavanen outside the Uvena system." By the power armor worn by the male, the human assumed he was with the Republic, maybe a trooper on the wrong side of the galaxy.

"My wife could go into labor any minute. I need to get her to a med clinic!"

"The underbelly of Coruscant is hardly the place to find a med clinic. Why stray so far from the upper level?"

"We don't have a choice." replied the Male. The female screamed in pain. "Her water just broke! Can you take us to a clinic?"

"Not here." said the human. "I can take you to the upper levels and get you the best possible care." With that, the trio left for an open square, where the human kept his rental speeder. He clicked open the door and all three beings stepped inside. They began the ascent into the upper levels. In the awkward silence, the human tried to break the ice. "I'm Jedi Master Andoa Wisac, by the way."

A look of fear dominated the Shistavanens' faces. As members of the Sith, they knew well of Master Wisac. He was said to have singlehandedly defeated 10 Sith Warriors in just under 15 seconds. They tried their best to hide their fear and were succeeding for the most part. Suddenly, the speeder housing the trio was cut off and nearly blindsided, scratching up the side of the vehicle.

"Keep it smooth. We've got a pup on the way!" yelled the male Shistavanen. The next few minutes were far smoother and they finally reached Medstar General Hospital. Upon exiting the vehicle, the Shistavanen male looked at the side and winced. It didn't look good. "Aren't you worried about that scratch?" he asked.

"She's a rental." replied Wisac casually. Upon entering the light of the hospital, the couple's alignment became clear as day. Wisac could tell instantly they were of the Sith. A male Sith Warrior and female Inquisitor respectively. Wisac reached for his lightsaber, but decided against it. It was not the way of the Jedi to take the life of an unborn child. Instead, he decided to file the paperwork to get them in. Almost immediately, two service droids came to take the pregnant inquisitor to a vacant room.

Wisac left for the military wing. He needed to see some friends who were injured in the Mandelorian Wars. The Sith Warrior went in the other direction, hoping to witness the birth of his child. The droids told him to wait outside, just so he didn't get in the way. He paced around the waiting room for a while when Wisac showed up. "All is well, I hope." he said to the Sith Warrior.

"It's been over an hour. What if something went wrong?"

"I want to just say I know you're with the Sith. But for the sake of the child, I must take care of you. This IS the best hospital on Coruscant." said Wisac.

"It shows. How are the soldiers?" said the Warrior, hoping to change the topic.

"They should be fine by the end of the night. Fit for battle in a week." as Wisac said this, a protocol droid made his way into the waiting room.

"Canis Wadan? Is there a Canis Wadan here." the Shistavanen raised his hand and the droid made his way toward the two force users. "Kipcha is just fine. And congratulations on your newly born son. What shall you name him?"

"Jonlo. Jonlo Wadan." said Canis.

"I doubt you and Kipcha can raise the child knowing what you do for a living." said Wisac.

"We wanted to have him born on Korriban, but Dreshdae is the worst place to raise a child, even if he will be a Warrior like me. What should we do?"

"The Jedi part of me says you shouldn't raise him just on the grounds that you are both Sith. However, if you cannot raise him, the Jedi will take him in." said Wisac.

"The very idea disgusts me. But there is no other option. I always wanted our child to follow in our footsteps." said Canis.

"In time," said Wisac "he may choose his own path. Whether that leads him to the light or the dark is his choice. One day, you may be reunited."

"Then, since I have no other choice, I leave Jonlo to the Jedi. Promise me one thing, though." Canis said as he removed two lightsabers from his belt. Both featured the awkward hook grip that kept force sensitive opponents off guard. "When he is old enough, give him these to remember me. Provide whatever crystals you will, but the frames must remain. I built these myself, and I want him to keep these."

"These blades will serve him well. Jar'Kari training, no doubt." said Wisac

"Jar'Kari." replied Canis. The Warrior went off to his wife's room to take his child for Andoa, and to say one last goodbye. "I pray we meet again one day, but it is time for us to leave you. When you're older, you will understand." Canis took the child out to Andoa. Like his parents, Jonlo had black fur and yellow eyes, but he had gained one thing exclusively from his father: a wolven tail. Reluctantly, he handed over his child.

"When he is older, I will tell him everything. And take this. It will keep us in touch." said Wisac as he handed Canis a comlink. Suddenly, Canis remembered one last thing. From a pocket in his robes, he produced a Sith holocron.

"Should I die before he comes of age, give him this when his training is complete." Wisac took the holocron and pocketed it.

"I assure you, he will be well watched over. I shall make sure of that." Wisac left that moment with the pup, lightsabers and holocron in tow. Canis stood there watching the Jedi master take his son. A single tear rolled down his cheek, its path crooked through his fur. He went to find Kipcha and take her back to their ship to return to Korriban. Despite earlier protest, she knew this was the best option for young Jonlo.

"I'm not good at this Light side crap, but I know this is best for him." said Kipcha.


	2. Chapter 1

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 1

6 years later, Jonlo is still under Andoa's watchful eye. In that time, Andoa has risen to the title of Jedi Grandmaster, and now leads the Jedi Council. The war with the Mandelorians has been getting desperate and the Republic was consistently begging the Jedi Council to intervene. None of this had any effect on young Jonlo, who passed his time in the archives learning as much as he could about the Jedi order. More importantly the Jedi code, which he would eventually have to know and fully understand by heart.

_There is no emotion, there is peace._ What could that mean, he would ponder? The Jedi sought the path to inner peace, yet few races could live their lives without emotion.

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge_. Jonlo had that part down. All of his studies added to his knowledge, helping him to understand why he did what the order asked of him.

_There is no passion, there is serenity._ Even at the tender age of six years old, he understood this. Passion could quickly turn into anger and hatred, which has turned many Jedi to the dark side.

_There is no chaos, there is harmony._ Jonlo related this to the inner peace that all Jedi sought. One whose thoughts were conflicted and chaotic could not stay alive should they find themselves in battle. If they cannot make sense of their thoughts, how could they do so with their movements?

_There is no death, there is the Force._ When a Jedi died, their spirit returned to merge with the Force. Those who were strong enough often became Force ghosts, able to interact with the living world.

He would repeat these phrases and their meanings over and over in his head until he could embrace them and recite it from the heart at a moment's notice. He pulled up a different record from his terminal, trying to pass the time until curfew for the younglings had come. He read of the battles fought against the Mandelorians on the outer rim. He could visualize the battles unfolding as the Republic valiantly fought to the bitter end to defend their interests on the outer rim. He had gotten so captivated by the battle record, he had lost track of time. The lights in the temple were dimming as the sun set beyond the horizon.

Deciding it was time to leave; he left the archives and wandered around trying to find his room. Along the way, he ran into a man in elegant robes with a goatee and long hair woven into a ponytail at the top. "Master Wisac, what are you doing out here?" Jonlo asked.

"I could ask the same of you. It's past curfew." Said Wisac

"Forgive me. I was reading over the battle records of the Mandelorian Wars raging in the outer rim. I still can't understand why we aren't helping the Republic. We should be fighting the Mandelorians."

"Barely 6 years old and talking about the politics of war." Wisac's voice showed some concern. Could Jonlo already be moving toward the dark path? "How did you start getting interested in this stuff, anyway?"

"I overhear Michoa talking about it a lot. She says we should be helping the Republic." said Jonlo.

"I think so too, but the council doesn't agree. They'll only jump in if the Mandelorians attack the Core Worlds."

"How don't they agree? Aren't you grandmaster?" asked the young pup.

"I don't have as much pull as the title might suggest. The rest of the council voted on a wait and see approach. If it was up to me, every capable Jedi would be out fighting in the rim. But it is not the way of the Jedi to be the aggressor. You understand this, I hope." said Wisac.

Jonlo nodded and the two made their way to Jonlo's room. The Shistavanen crawled into bed and curled up beneath the covers. Sleep fell on him quickly and the young pup was out like a light. Wisac smiled to himself and made his way back to his room to see Michoa standing near the window, looking over the Coruscant skyline. "Hard to believe it's already been six years. In a few months, he'll be old enough to start training." She said. As she stepped into the light, her flowing burgundy robe came into view and her beautiful features and flowing hair became blatantly obvious.

"I always wondered what it would be like to raise a child. I just never imagined raising a Shistavanen pup." said Wisac as he moved closer to the beautiful councilor.

"You never told me exactly how you found him." said Michoa.

"His parents were on the run from some bounty hunter. I took them to Medstar General Hospital and figured out they were both Sith lords. His mother was an Inquisitor, and we never spoke. I almost struck them down then and there, but something held me back. That was when I realized I would be taking the life of an unborn child who has not yet made his choice. I let them both live and I keep in contact with the father. The fact that he agreed to let the child be raised by Jedi still astounds me." Wisac explained.

Michoa was taken aback. Andoa had taken in a child of the dark side! But Jonlo couldn't be like his parents. Even so young, he has stuck to the path of the Jedi even before his training had officially begun. "So, his strength in the force stems from his bloodline?"

"It is so. I think he will do well here and rise quickly in the ranks. Besides that, his race's natural ferocity will make him one damn good swordsman." said Andoa. The two leaned in closer together as Andoa wrapped his hands around the consular's waist. She pushed him off of her.

"Not now. I'm too tired. I'll be sleeping in if the Council asks." She said. Andoa nodded in understanding and Michoa passed out on her bed. Seeing that this was as good a time as any, Andoa pulled out his communicator and laid it on his desk. He fired it up and the holographic image of a power-armored Shistavanen male appeared before him. He seemed to be occupied with something else.

"Yeah, no mustard, extra beef." he said to Sith lord on his left. The other Sith left and Canis suddenly realized who was on the comm. "Andoa Wisac. Do you realize what time it is on Coruscant?"

"Yes. I can go on for a while without sleep. What about Korriban. How long does your typical day last?"

"Standard 24-hour day. It's only just time for lunch. You'd be surprised how easy it is to find food here. Just one city. Nice and isolated. But I digress. How's Jonlo been doing?" asked Canis.

"He's taken some interest in war politics. He says he's been getting it from the Consular that's helping me raise him. Does that sort of curiosity have other origins?" asked Andoa.

"He probably gets that curiosity from Kipcha. They are called Inquisitors for a reason, after all."

"Strangely enough," replied the Jedi, "he hasn't shown any of the dark tendencies of the Sith. I think we may be doing our job a little too well, even if most of his time is spent in the Archives."

"Again, he probably gets it from Kipcha." Something suddenly beeped on Canis's wrist. "That would mean my sandwich is here. I've gotta run. Keep an eye on Jonlo for me." And suddenly the comm. shut off. Michoa was conscious for most of the conversation and Andoa knew it, too, but didn't ask anything. Instead, he simply went to his bed and passed out. The next few months would fly by, and he couldn't wait to see what kind of Jedi Jonlo would turn out to be.


	3. Chapter 2

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 2

3 months later, Jonlo is summoned to meet with the Jedi Council. He had recently turned seven and it was time to begin his training. Jonlo was both nervous and excited. He stepped into the council chamber only to find that only five of the masters were in attendance. Wisac, Vrook, Kavar, Atris, and a dark-skinned Hysalrian named Gormo. "Welcome Jonlo. Sorry not everybody's here. Some of them are out on a mission and Michoa decided to take the day off. Something about sleep deprivation." said Atris.

"Hopefully, you know why you're here." said Kavar.

"If this is about the maintenance guy that fell of the temple tower, his line broke because his droid went haywire with the integrated blaster." Jonlo said defensively.

"We know it wasn't your fault. You just happened to be in the room when his droid went insane. We addressed this last week. You're here because we need to figure out what Jedi Caste you will enter." Said master Gormo. "We're going to ask you a series of questions. Answer them as truthfully as you can and from that, we can tell what kind of Jedi you will be."

"First question," said Atris. "A group of thugs are attacking a helpless sentient. As you approach, they run off. What do you do?"

"Hunt down the thugs to make sure they never hurt anybody again." answered Jonlo.

"Next question," said Atris, "there is locked a door blocking the path to your mission goal. How do you open it?"

"Slice it open with my lightsaber."

"Finally," said Atris, "you are engaged in combat with a Sith Lord. There is a pause in the combat. What do you do?"

"Attack him while his guard is down." said Jonlo. The masters quietly discussed the results. Jonlo possessed a knack for aggression. His focus on such aspects of the Jedi meant there was only one caste for him.

"Well, Jonlo, it seems you would be best suited as a Jedi Guardian." said Andoa. "Which means you will be training under Mastre Kavar along with the other initiates under his tutelage." With that, Kavar left his seat and Jonlo followed dutifully for his first lessons in lightsaber combat.

When Jonlo entered the training room, he saw a line of young initiates of many different races. He fell in line next to a young Twi'lek girl of about his age. "Well, you're all here to train as Jedi Guardians. When I call your name, you will be given your training sabers."

Kavar listed off many names and Jonlo was called last. When Jonlo came up to claim his saber, he found two hook grip sabers with lightweight plasteel training blades. "Master? who gets the last one?" Jonlo said, confused.

"They are both for you. You'll be trained in Jar'Kari, which makes use of two lightsabers." Said Master Kavar. Jonlo took the training sabers in his hands. Kavar walked up and down the rows of initiates, helping them with their technique in their individual styles. Jonlo, however, needed no such assistance. His technique was a little rough, but he was quickly catching on. He had it better than the twi'lek girl he was training with, despite that she was training in Ataru saber combat.

At the end of the lesson, the initiates paired up and tried their respective styles against one another. Jonlo ended up with the twi'lek girl using the ataru form. For the most part, Jonlo was on the defense, but once the twi'lek created a gap, Jonlo took the initiative and started gaining ground. Eventually, the twi'lek's defense was overwhelmed and Jonlo laid down what would be a killing blow with a real lightsaber, knocking the Twi'lek to the floor. He put his sabers down and helped the Twi'lek to her feet. Combat class was then dismissed. Everyone took their new training sabers to their rooms and went to the cafeteria for lunch.

When Jonlo got there, he found that the twi'lek girl he was training with had not only saved him a seat, but had gotten him lunch. He took a seat with her and some of her friends. She was relating how he had gotten a grip on first tier Jar'Kari in just one lesson and how he instinctively knew the defensive gaps of Ataru.

"It was nothing, really. I just… knew when to strike." He said modestly.

Another initiate, a young Thrandoshan boy, chimed in "He might have already mastered battle precognition. Like Master Revan and Grandmaster Wisac. His parents could have been Echani Shistavanen." Jonlo took another forkful of his lunch and listened to the other initiates. They were talking about how some of the older Jedi have been disappearing lately.

"What if they're leaving to fight the Mandelorians?" asked Jonlo. The other initiates fell silent.

"The Council says not to do anything unless the core worlds are attacked." said the young twi'lek girl.

"Now that I think about it," said the young Thrandoshan "Nobody's seen Revan for about a month. Do you think he's behind this?" As he said this, Atris's shadow loomed over Jonlo and his other dining companions.

"It's too early to draw any conclusions. The word of the council is absolute. Unless the Mandelorians strike the core worlds, we shall not make a move." said Atris.

"Explain then," said Grandmaster Wisac as he came into view, "Why nobody's seen Master Revan and his apprentice for over a month." Atris looked at Wisac and then at the younglings and back at Wisac.

"We shall continue this discussion when the Council convenes again." She said as she left Wisac and the younglings to their own devices.

"Sorry about Atris. She tries to keep a lot of things quiet. Even if Master Revan is fighting, at least he's taking initiative. I wish this order had 100 more like him." the young Thrandoshan shook his head.

"A dangerous gamble. Who knows what he'll find out there?" said the Thrandoshan.


	4. Chapter 3

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 3

4 years later, Jonlo's strength in the force is close to its apex. He has risen to the rank of Padawan was assigned to Master Gorkle, a Shistavanen like himself. Revan had indeed been fighting with a group of dedicated Jedi, but in that time, he and his apprentice had fallen so far. They had come back changed. Revan now bore the mantle of _Darth_ Revan, Lord of Revenge. His apprentice became forever known as Darth Malek, Lord of Malice. They had adopted open war against the Republic, and it stood now at a stalemate.

Again, Jonlo was largely removed from this. Training was his main concern until he reached knighthood. He was in his room, practicing his technique in Jar'Kari. In his mind, he was engaged in battle with Darth Revan, imagining every blow and parry made by the dark lord. Master Wisac walked by and happened to be observe, listening as Jonlo spoke to his imaginary adversary. "Take that, Revan! Your darkness shall never triumph. I WILL defeat you and save the Republic!"

Wisac admired his focus. He walked inside and ignited his dual bladed saber, blocking both of Jonlo's blows and breaking the pup's concentration. "Getting a little too into it, are we?" Jonlo looked up and put his training sabers on his desk while Andoa disengaged his blades.

"Grandmaster Wisac! What brings you here?" asked Jonlo.

"Wandering the halls. Making sure Padawans like you don't end up breaking anything." said the Grandmaster.

"I don't get my lightsabers until tomorrow. Besides, I'd have to be stupid to use them in my own room. I don't want to risk burning the place down."

"Just because you're using training sabers doesn't mean you won't break something. Especially using Jar'Kari. Why do you imagine yourself fighting Revan of all people?" asked Andoa.

"Because of everything he did to the republic, all the Jedi that died by his hand. I want him to pay." said Jonlo.

"Anger is the path to the dark side, young pup. Anger leads to hate…"

"And hate leads to suffering. I get it. This helps me vent that anger so it doesn't become a problem." said Jonlo, explaining the method to his madness.

"Tomorrow, you'll be given your father's lightsabers. This is why Kavar had you training with hook grip training sabers. Where's that Twi'lek girl you've been training with, anyway?" asked Wisac

"Sick. She's got a cold, so I'm training on my own until Kavar resumes the combat classes or the Twi'lek gets better."

"As you were, then." said the Grandmaster. He left the pup's room and decided to head to his own quartes to do some work on the lightsabers that Jonlo would receive. _Funny_, he thought. _I haven't touched them in over 11 years_. He entered his chambers to find that Michoa was out settling a border dispute on Bothawui. The perfect time to see how Canis was doing and maybe get some form of tech support on the sabers, as Andoa himself was unfamiliar with the design.

He set the sabers on his workbench and took out his comm. unit. He dialed up Canis, but was met instead with the face of Kipcha the Inquisitor. "So, this is the famous Kipcha Wadan. What happened to Canis?" asked Andoa.

"Dead. Slain by Mandelore the Ultimate. He died as he would have wished, in the heat of battle." said Kipcha. "Did you need something from him?"

"Yes, I did. Your son receives his lightsabers tomorrow and I can't figure out how to work on them. Do you have the design schematics?"

Kipcha nodded and transmitted several documents regarding customization, maintenance, and assembly of the curved hilt design. "That was everything he had about the design. The funeral is later tonight. If you leave in 20 minutes, you should make it to Dreshdae in time. We'll be burying him in the Valley of the Dark Lords."

"I'll be there. Look for the guy in True Sith gear." With that last note, Wisac killed the transmission. Michoa would not be back for another day or so and Vandar could lead the council should it convene in his absence. He wandered to his closet and looked for something he hadn't worn in over 20 years. The robes and armor were of the same style as Darth Revan and so was the mask. The Sith knew Revan was not the only one to wear such a style, but at least made it more popular. He switched his garb in the closet and made his way toward his starfighter in the temple hangar, taking the routes nobody traveled. When he arrived, he was geeted with a sleek, crescent-winged fighter boasting twin pulse cannons and front-mounted ailerons.

The canopy opened up and Andoa leapt inside. After going through the preflight checks, he took off and sped high above Coruscant, programming his navicomputer to make the jump to Korriban. His ship accelerated to faster than light and he was in orbit above Korriban in a matter of hours. He called up ground operators and waited for permission to dock. This could take between 5 minutes to an hour. The downside to having only one city is that you have only one starport.

Fortunately, Andoa had to wait only 15 minutes to land. His ship landed in the Starport and he left his vehicle. When the customs officer asked for identification, Wisac whipped out a red lightsaber and threatened the officer at blade point. The officer got the message and let him into the city. He moved quickly through the settlement and managed to make his way to the outside of the Sith Academy, where the funeral procession was being led by none other than Darth Revan himself.

Andoa quickly fell in beside Kipcha, bowing his head like the rest of the various Sith and academy students. Finally, they had reached their destination at the center of the valley. The hovering casket was laid before Revan as the digger droids moved the hole deeper and deeper. The body itself was stripped of its armor and wore traditional Sith burial robes instead. _At least the Sith leave good-looking corpses_. thought Andoa. Revan turned to address the crowd.

"Today, one of our greatest warriors has fallen. After many years of dedicated service, he finally met the one enemy who he could not best. Mandelore the Ultimate, ruler of the Mandelorians, is to blame. But shortly after killing Canis, My blade struck him down. But it was too late for Canis. We commit his body to the sands of our ancient homeworld, as his strength is added to that of the Dark Side as a whole. With his passing, we will move on with his spirit guiding us in battle. Long live Darth Canis!" said Revan.

The casket was cat into the great hole that had been dug for him and the droids unceremoniously filled it back in. Revan led the others to the Reception, but Kipcha and Andoa stayed behind. The winds in the Valley of the Dark Lords blew far more gently that day than they ever had before. "The Sith once taught that the only thing worse than mercy was love. That it was a weakness. But, he didn't think so and neither did I. They stopped teaching that when we learned of the passion that stemmed from love and it worked well for a long time. Revan brought that change, and now, I blame him for Canis's death. If he had only gotten there sooner…"

"If you hate Revan so much, why don't you leave the Sith? Come to the Jedi. You'll be able to see what's left of Canis in your son." said Wisac.

"I… I can't. You do away with emotion as if it's something to be feared. Your weakness is evident everywhere you look. You sit high in your temples and are afraid to embrace the anger of battle and give in to the fury. I can't live like that after I've tasted the power that the dark side offers. You were a fool to turn away!"

"Be that as it may, I was sick of constant battle. The Jedi helped me find peace. Guilt changes people. Do you ever feel sorry for all the ones you've killed in your quest for power, all the innocents who were minding their own business and you gutted because they looked at you weird?" said Wisac

"Guilt and sorrow have no place among us. You were weak." said Kipcha. She looked up and saw Revan descending from the academy, followed by a small army of Sith Warriors.

"Andoa Wisac, Have you finally come to your senses after all these years?" said the dark lord.

"Kipcha, get to Dreshdae. NOW!" Andoa commanded.

Kipcha stood her ground and drew her lightsaber. She wielded a double bladed saber with an arcane red gem encased in glass between the handles. "This is a test. Revan throws these men at you knowing they will die. My kind mourns by killing. When they all lay dead, the blood will be repaid." As she said this, she ignited her blades, each one a deep, blood red.

Andoa took out his own saber and split it in two. Wielding one saber traditionally and the other one backhand. "You can take as many as you wish, but Revan is mine." said Andoa.

"Screw you! Revan may not have laid a hand on Canis but He's the reason my husband is dead!" Kipcha shouted. She charged at the mass of sith troops, cutting them down with her blades. Soon, they surrounded her and she unleashed a massive shockwave of force lightning, killing at least 12 warriors.

Andoa in his own right was plowing through. He was able to attack in front and back with the way he wielded his sabers. Soon, all of the warriors lay dead and Revan was the only one left. Kipcha, with total disregard for her own safety, charged at him and the two began their combat. Each time Kipcha slashed, Revan managed to block. She tried to cut in under and managed to destroy his lightsaber. Revan reached out with the force and slammed Kipcha into the statue of Ajunta Paul, knocking the inquisitor out. He picked up Kipcha's lightsaber and extended a single blade.

Anoda channeled the force to his legs and leapt over 10 feet to engage Revan in battle. For a while, Revan had the upper hand, gaining ground and forcing Andoa into the defensive, but Revan was getting sloppy. The weight of the unused blade was awkward and cumbersome, but Revan managed to compensate. Through use of Ataru, Andoa kept revan on the defensive while maintaining a strong offense. The flurry of blades slashing and parrying carried on for what seemed like hours. Revan's defense was air tight until he over stepped his bounds, giving Andoa the chance to strike. Instead of trying to kill the dark lord, Andoa disarmed him by destroying Kipcha's lightsaber.

Revan was distracted for a brief instant, more than Andoa needed to muster the strength to hurl Revan through the doors of the Sith academy. He took the chance to grab what was left of Kipcha's lightsaber and tend to her. He was out cold, but otherwise fine. Still, it couldn't hurt to get her to a hospital. He slung her over his shoulder. He walked for a full kilometer until he neared the gate to Dreshdae. The gates opened and Andoa rushed to the hospital.

He waited for what seemed like hours until one of the Sith military doctors came out. Andoa rose to his feet to meet the doctor eye to eye. "She should be fine in about a week. If we're lucky, she'll be able to speak by the end of the night. We had to put her in the Kolto tank. Are you gonna be on Korriban for long?" asked the doctor.

"No longer than I have to. I have something I need you to rebuild for her." Andoa said, handing the doctor the fragments of Kipcha's lightsaber.

"I can't fix this, but it can be repaired." Said the doctor. Andoa sat in the waiting room until he was given permission to enter Kipcha's room. When he walked in, she was lying on one of the bed, her eyes wide open.

"An…Andoa., Did we win? Is Revan dead?" she asked, her voice weak as she recovered her breath.

"Alas the dark lord still lives, though he knows not to cross my path should he wish to preserve that life." said Andoa. Laid on the side table was Kipcha's lightsaber. She tried to get up to reach her weapon, but doubled back in pain. "Take it easy. Even for a Shistavanen, that landing on Ajunta should have killed you."

"That may be. But I still live. You saved my life, but I will never join the Jedi Order." Said Kipcha.

"Just think about it. Remember I AM the Grandmaster. I have to leave before Revan sends his soldiers on me." Andoa stood up and walked out to the starport. When he arrived, two Dark Jedi were outside his fighter. "Gentlemen," he said, "I am not in the mood. Leave now, or my blade will be the last thing you say." The Dark Jedi said nothing as their blades ignited. Andoa ignited his twin blade sabre and struck the Dark Jedi down in one fluid motion. He boarded his fighter and flew beyond Korriban's orbit and made his way to Coruscant. As the fighter accelerated to lightspeed, he slept to reflect on the day's events.


	5. Chapter 4

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 4

Andoa's fighter arrived in Coruscants orbit and he awaited permission to dock within the temple. His request was qranted and he descended into the Atmosphere of Coruscant and flew toward the temple. Upon arrival, the docking assembly gripped the starfighter and held it suspended above the catwalk to the temple's main building. Andoa called up master Kavar with an interesting proposal.

"This was your excuse to keep that True Sith gear after all this time." said Kavar.

"We need to show Jonlo that anger against a particular enemy has no place in battle. And I have just the way to do so. He has his lightsabers, right?"

"Yes. Silver crystals, too. Quite rare, but he insisted." said Kavar. Andoa laid out the particulars of the plan. Kavar was intrigued. "You know Revan's favored style, I hope."

"I SHOULD know considering that I trained him." With that last note, Andoa shut off the comm. and made his way to the training room.

On the other side of the Temple, Jonlo was training with his training sabers. His lightsabers were clipped to his belt for later use. Suddenly, he received a call from Master Kavar. "Jonlo, hurry to the training room, bring your lightsabers. I think we may be under attack." The message cut off abruptly and Jonlo ran like hell to meet his instructor. When he arrived, Kavar was on the floor and standing over him, wielding a single red saber was…

"Revan!" Jonlo shouted. "Your life is forfeit." Jonlo charged at the dark lord, his unbridled fury causing him to make mistakes. Costly mistakes that caused the dark lord to gain the upper hand.

"Your anger makes him strong. Concentrate on your style!" shouted Kavar. Jonlo flushed the anger from his heart, replacing it with calm concentration. Again, he went after the dark lord, but this time, he had a better chance. His offense was in tune with Revan's style and so was his defense.

"Kavar, find Master Gorkle. Tell him the Darth Revan is here." Jonlo shouted. Kavar ran off to the outside, not even bothering to contact Gorkle. Both fighters were at a stalemate until Revan force-pushed Jonlo back a full meter. The dark lord removed his mask to reveal…

"Grandmaster Wisac? Is this some kind of sick joke?" asked Jonlo.

"No, this is training. I've been noticing this going on since Revan came back as the dark lord. You've hated him, wanted to kill him. If this were real, you AND Kavar would both be dead."

"Kavar was in on it?"

"The entire council noticed your hatred of Revan. Master Gorkle was particularly concerned. I thought this would show you that hatred in battle has no place. This little exercise was to teach you a lesson. One I hope you will take to heart." said Andoa. Jonlo thought for a bit, but decided that the Grandmaster was right. But, he had just one thing on his mind.

"If the Sith are fueled by anger in battle, how do they fight so well? I mean… how is it that they don't make such costly mistakes?" asked Jonlo.

"The Sith… train so that their blades become extensions of the force. It makes them deadly in battle and they're on par with a concentrated Jedi. It also makes them that much more unpredictable and dangerous." said the Grandmaster.

"I need some time to process all this. I'll be in the mess hall." said Jonlo. The Shistavanen pup made his way to the mess with the intent of enjoying a nice quiet meal alone. It was getting colder on Coruscant as winter began her approach. Jonlo had fur, but he needed some hot soup. The robes of a Jedi Padawan were not known for their insulating qualities. He approached the machine and put his credit in the slot. The plasteel bowl descended from the machine, but the soup would not pour.

Jonlo pressed the button to get his credit back, but it never came. Frustrated, he ignited his lightsabers and was just about to slice up the machine when…

"Jonlo, what are you doing?" said Master Gorkle. He stood at a meter seventy and had bright silver fur. His robes were thicker than was normal, which shielded him from both the cold, and even vibroswords.

"I was trying to get some soup, but the machine ate my credit." Jonlo explained.

"There are better ways than destroying the machine. The order has to pay for these things, you know." Gorkle waved his hand and the machine let the sop trickle into the bowl. Jonlo disengaged his blades and clipped them back onto his belt. He took the bowl and made his way to one of the unoccupied tables. He always ate alone whenever he was processing new information.

The masters and other padawans and initiates knew this well enough to keep their distance, lest his train of thought be lost. If the sith train so that their blades become extensions of the force, why must the Jedi train only against concentrated opponents. He may never know, but the answer is closer than he thinks.


	6. Chapter 5

Star Wars: Wlaking the Line

Chapter 5

5 years later, the Galaxy is in the grip of war. The Sith have become bolder and even threatened to strike at the core worlds. At last, the Council headed Andoa's cry to action. There was no way all the Jedi in the galaxy could stand up to the sheer brutality of the Sith onslaught. There was only one option. As the old saying goes, cut the head off the snake and the body slowly dies. The Jedi had to kill Revan, and the rest of the Sith war machine would lose direction, turn against itself and be consumed in a civil war, making it easier for the Republic to end their reign of terror once and for all.

The council decided instead of sending an army, to send a small strike team of the most combat capable Jedi. They sent Bastilla Shan, master of battle meditation to provide support to the battle, Andoa Wisac to lead the charge, and a few others. The preparations were slow and deliberate. Every eventuality had to be accounted for. The team needed a contingency plan for anything and everything. The plan was soon in motion, But Andoa left the planning session, claiming he needed to get something.

Jonlo was practicing his form with his training sabers in his room, doing so with the assistance of the Twi'lek girl that had been his training companion. It was quite a sight to behold, watching the aggressive focus of Jar'kari clashing against the graceful acrobatics of Ataru. Any defensive gaps in her style were constantly moving, keeping Jonlo on edge. The match was at a constant stalemate, so they both dropped their sabers and took a much needed breather.

Andoa walked in just as the Twi'lek girl left. As the years went By, Jonlo had become extremely skilled in his style and was nearing the final tier. Jonlo looked up at the grandmaster and tilted his head to the left. "What brings you here?" he asked. The piercing look of the grandmaster suddenly made his thought process clear. "We weren't doing what you think we were doing. We were…"

"The force allows me to see everything in this temple. You don't need to justify anything. If anything, I applaud your determination. Where we're going, you'll need it." said the Grandmaster.

"Where is that?"

"Revan's Flagship, the _Nightfall_. You'll be accompanying the strike team and providing fighter cover for the initial approach." Explained Wisac.

"I refuse to be another stereotype. All you hear about my people is that they're such great pilots." said Jonlo.

"Because you are such great pilots. Don't think I haven't seen you taking out some of the light fighters."

"You're a racist." said Jonlo.

"I could left have left you on the streets. You would be dead in an hour. That should prove I'm not racist. Meet me at the hangar. The rest of the strike team will be there." With that, Andoa left for the turbolift to the hangar. Jonlo took the lift immediately next to it and waited amidst the constant drone of the elevator music, adapted from a popular cantina tune. _If I never hear this song again it will be too soon._ He thought. When the descent was finally finished, he stepped out to see the Strike team assembled. Andoa had donned what looked like the armor of an elite republic trooper with simple Jedi robes.

"Just the padawan I was talking about. Everyone, this is Jonlo Wadan, Gorkle's apprentice." said Andoa. "Jonlo, this is Bastilla. She's the sentinel who can turn the tides of battle with only her mind."

Bastilla stepped forward to meet Jonlo's gaze. "The Grandmaster sees a lot of potential in you." she said.

"Bastilla Shan. As smart as you are beautiful. I hope this battle meditation of yours is more than just hype." said Jonlo.

"Her power is more than hype. She is the key to the Republic war effort." said Andoa. "If the higher-ups trust her, then our faith is well placed."

"So, which ship are we taking, master? Hmmerhead, Corvette, Corellian stocklight?"

"None of the above. We're taking my own cruiser. Into the shuttle and we'll be there." Said Andoa.

"But, that's a drop ship. The Nightfall will tear us apart." Said Jonlo, with a notable tone of concern.

"You'll see." Said Andoa. The strike team loaded into the dropship and she took to the air. Jonlo was alone in his own little world as they ascended into the clouds. Suddenly, he was taken back into reality with a tap on the shoulder. "to the right." Said Andoa. Jonlo beheld the massive cruiser looming before him and his jaw dropped in sheer amazement. Bastilla was taken slightly aback by Jonlo's fangs.

"This has to be the biggest ship in the galaxy." Said Jonlo.

"It is. Meet the Venator Class heavy cruiser. She's still a prototype, but hopefully her active service will last until the death of the republic. Ironically, she started life as a modified Mandelorian design." said Andoa. The dropship entered the massive hangar and the strike team disembarked. "Jonlo, wait by one of the fighters. When we need you, we'll signal you to launch."

"How am I supposed to stave off death from boredom?" asked Jonlo.

"Talk to the crew. They're good people. Trust 'em with my life. Get to know the ship while you're at it." With that, Andoa left for the bridge. Jonlo sought out one of the fighter mechanics and inquired as to the size of the vessel.

"Well, Andoa says she's about three kilometers, but I doubt it. Probably four or five." said the mechanic.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Jonlo.

"Probably four and a half. The only one who would know is her designer." The two conversed in further detail, drawing in more of the crew, and even starting a Pazaak game.

"So," said Jonlo, "what kind of firepower are we packing?" He was sitting on a solid fifteen. He decided to stand, leaving his value unchanged rather than waste his hand.

"we got about 24 heavy gun emplacements. And when we say heavy, we frikkin mean it." Said one of the gunners.

Jonlo's eyes went wide. "24!" He asked.

The gunner nodded. "yup. 12 on each side. Two volleys will bring down an Imperial capital ship. The Nightfall doesn't stand a chance."

The fighter mechanic chimed in. "We also got about 48 medium guns and 120 tri-barrel anti fighter guns. And we got a special little surprise for the enemy." He drew from the main deck and got an eight, pushing his value to 24, forcing him out of the set.

"What's that?" asked Jonlo.

The gunner drew a 7, bringing him to 21, and he had no way to lower it. Jonlo won the set. He silently cursed to himself. "Hidden beneath the republic color stripe on the center, is a massive rail gun. She'll punch through an entire formation of Sith capital ships. Draws power from the engines. But it's power draw is so low, we're only reduced to half speed."

"ONLY half speed?" asked Jonlo as he put the main deck back together and shuffled.

"Compared to other railguns that leave their ships totally immobile, this is preferred. This is the most advanced railgun in the galaxy and only the Republic has it." Said the gunner. After a few more sets, Jonlo was the unquestioned victor, much to the dismay of the crew. "Dangit, Wadan. If this was a real game I would have lost ten years salary to you."

Suddenly, the intercom blared to life with the voice of the Jedi Grandmaster. "All hands to battle stations. We are nearing the combat zone. All pilots to your fighters. All gunners, man your stations." As quickly as the words were said, everyone was combat ready. The fighters were shot out of the garage, measuring about fifteen in number. To nobody's surprise, Jonlo took position as flight, further playing out the stereotype of his race.

The first stage, destroying the Sith fighter force, was set in motion. The Sith had 15 fighters, it was the heavily armored Sith Buzzard versus the more mobile Republic Arrowhead. The fighters swirled around in a furball, gunning for each other at every opportunity, after 30 minutes, the Arrowheads had won the day, but not without their losses. Five Arrowheads went down, but all the Buzzards joined them. Jonlo was ordered to return to orbit around the Venator and await further orders.

The heavy guns aimed toward the rear of the Nightfall and opened fire on her engines. The capital ship ground to a halt and the Leviathan, Malak's flagship, stood by and watched. Jonlo's radio came to life. "Jonlo, it's time to board the Nightfall. Escort the drop ship and blow open the enemy garage. Keep us close, though. Once the garage is breached, we'll have a short window to get in." said Andoa.

The dropship left the Venator's hangar and rendezvoused with Jonlo's Arrowhead. Once they were in tight formation, they made their way to the Nightfall. After 5 minutes dodging enemy laser fire, the boarding party made its way towards Revan's flagship. Jonlo armed his photon torpedoes and fired at the Nightfall's hangar door. The fighter and dropship got in just as the pressure doors began to close. As soon as they landed, Jonlo and the strike team leapt out of their craft and took out their blades, slaughtering everyone in the immediate area.

On the wall, Jonlo found a map of the Nightfall. Fortunately, they were on the same deck that had the elevator to the bridge as well as the main barracks. One thing Shistavanen excelled at was their sense of direction, and that is what would win the day. Jonlo took off down the main hall and the strike team followed his lead. They came upon the main barracks and stopped dead in their tracks. Andoa reached out with the force to see what was going on in the barracks.

"Let me in. I'll take out the reinforcements a little early." Jonlo sliced open the door and Andoa walked inside. The lights in the barracks were out, illuminated only by the glow of the Grandmasters blades. He cut Sith down all of the troops in a 10 second flurry of strikes and slashes. He stepped out and the Sith troopers lay dead and dismembered. Out of the Shadows stepped a Sith neophyte, apprenticed to Lord Revan.

"So, the intruders are here. I will strike you all down for the glory of my master!" said the neophyte. Andoa buried his head in his palm. He didn't have time for this.

"Jonlo, deal with this idiot, would you?" asked Andoa. Jonlo ignited his sabers in response, their blades a shimmering silver. He leapt into the Barracks and the door closed behind him. The neophyte focused on offensive force tactics, rather than saber combat. Once Jonlo had closed the distance, the neophytes style was woefully inadequate from a defensive standpoint. In little over 20 seconds, he was slain by Jonlo's blades. Triumphantly, the young Shistavanen left the barracks and rejoined the rest of the strike team.

They ascended the turbolift to the bridge, ready for the final confrontation with the Dark Lord. When they approached , he stood solemnly, staring off into the blackness of space. He heard the footsteps of the strike team and turned around, his face hidden behind a mask of pure Mandelorian iron. "I thought the Jedi would send you, grandmaster Wisac."

"You lost the right to call me that long ago, Revan!" shouted Andoa.

"And the lovely Bastilla Shan. Tell me; after all we've been through why you came here. Did you think you could bring me back to the Jedi?"

"I don't have to answer to you." said Bastilla as she drew her dual saber, igniting its bright yellow blades and engaged Revan in battle. Andoa turned to Jonlo and told him to get back to the Venator while he and Bastilla dealt with the dark lord. The young Shistavanen ran as fast as he could back to his fighter.

While Jonlo was running through the corridors of the Nightfall, Andoa was exchanging blows with the Dark Lord. Bastilla was on the ground, recovering strength from her previous battle. Revan was only using one blade to fend off Andoa's use of the offensive styles of Ataru. But Revan's defense could not hold forever. His saber fell to the ground and just as Andoa was about to strike him down, shots rang from the Leviathan's heavy guns. The bridge shook as the rounds impacted, distracting Andoa. Seizing the initiative Bastilla reached out with the force to give Revan the strength to live until he could get proper care. Andoa noticed this and nearly flipped his lid.

"Bastilla, What are you doing!" he shouted. "We came here to kill him!"

"Nobody deserves execution," said Bastilla, "no matter what their crimes. If we kill him, we're no better than the Sith."

"We'll talk about this later! We need to get back to the dropship!" Andoa scooped up Revan and slung the dark lord over his shoulder. He ran as fast as he could with Bastilla trailing behind. They reached the hangar and loaded into the shuttle. Jonlo blew open the pressure doors with his last photon torpedo. They quickly zoomed out into space.

The party quickly went back to the hangar of the Venator and rushed out of their ships toward the bridge of the massive cruiser. Jonlo was the first at the helm, looking out at the scene of betrayal laid out by the Leviathan. Bastilla was the next at the bridge. She addressed Jonlo briefly. "Everyone got out, and we're even heavy One Dark Lord of the Sith."

"Wait, WHAT?" asked the Shistavanen. Andoa came to the bridge with Darth Revan on his shoulder. He set the Dark Lord's unconscious frame on one of the chairs and strapping him down. "Would somebody mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

Bastilla ran to Revan's side. "It's going to be okay," she whispered to the unconscious dark lord.

"No time to explain now." Said Andoa. "All cannons, focus fire on the Leviathan! Bring the bastard down!" As quickly as the order was given, the Venator's crew focused their guns on the Leviathan. After the first salvo, the Leviathan turned tail, covering her retreat with her own gun battery. "Bring out the rail gun! Don't let these Sith scum make the jump!" The center of the Venator opened up and let loose the rail gun. All the charging capacitors were kicked into overdrive and the monstrous cannon was ready to… "FIRE!" shouted Andoa.

The huge metal slug traveled to it's target, but only hit the underside crew quarters. The Leviathan jumped to hyperspace, escaping with it's captain intact. With the next charge, the railgun was locked onto the Nightfall, destroying it in one blow. The bridge crew punched in the hyperspace codes for Coruscant, and the Venator made the jump.

"Now would you mind telling me why we SAVED Revan?" asked Jonlo.

"Just before we could take him down, Malek fired on the Nightfall. It would have been easier to LEAVE HIM," Andoa shouted, probably to Bastilla, "but for some reason, Bastilla saved him with a force bond, and now we're stuck with him until we get him to the kolto tanks."

After another 10 minutes, the Venator arrived in orbit above Coruscant. The strike team and Revan boarded the dropship. The small shuttle left for the temple. When the dropship landed, it was greeted by the jedi council, with Vandar at the front of the procession. The side doors opened and revealed the Jedi strike team. Andoa and Bastilla walked out to greet the council.

"Grandmaster Wisac, congratulations on your defeat of…"

"Don't speak so soon, master Vander." Said Andoa, as the words left his lips, Jonlo came out of the shuttle carrying on his shoulders the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"Could one of you guys help me with him? The Mandelorian Iron adds at least ten pounds." The looks of shock and horror dominated the faces of the council. "Before you even say anything, Bastilla wanted to save him. She created a force bond between herself and the Dark Lord."

"This is quite disturbing." said Vandar. "But, it is not the way of the Jedi to kill a helpless enemy."

"In all honesty, why go on this mission if we weren't going to kill him?"

"All in due time, Andoa. Jonlo, get him to medical. The council will decide what to do with him."


	7. Chapter 6

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 6

Revan lay motionless in the Kolto tank. His injuries were really bad. Depressed skull fracture, spine broken in six places, 2 ribs cracked, 6 broken. The prognosis for any normal human would be grim, but the Dark Lord would pull through. Jonlo almost felt Sorry for the Dark Lord. But as soon as the young Shistavanen realized who this broken man truly was, after everything he'd done, any semblance of pity was washed away. _Bastilla was wrong_. He thought. _Revan should be killed_.

On the other end of the temple, higher up than medical, Andoa had just returned to his quarters. Michoa was absent yet again. Consulars see more action than Jedi knights, but most of it is purely diplomatic. Andoa made his way to his desk and turned on the communicator. Just as he hoped, Kipcha was on the other end. "We all heard about the strike when Malak came back. He said Revan died! Now Canis can rest peacefully. Thank you."

"You may want to sit down, Kipcha." said Andoa. "Don't tell this to any of the Sith, but We ended up saving Revan." Kipcha was stunned. A look of bewilderment swept over her face like the winds of a tatooine sandstorm.

"You let him LIVE!" she shouted.

"It wasn't my choice to make. Bastilla created force bond between herself and Revan. And now we don't know what to do with him. Maybe you have an idea." Kipcha was just about to speak before Andoa cut her off. "Without killing him."

"It is said that before the Dark Jedi split off from the order, they took with them a terrible knowledge of the mind. The force, so they say, can erase parts of a person's memory or utterly destroy their identity. If there was any jedi who knew how to do this, you could re-train him as a jedi." Kipcha explained.

"I never thought I'd say this to a Sith, I completely agree with you. Farewell, Kipcha. May the force be with you."

"With you as well." With that, Kipcha ended the communication. Just as well. The council was about to convene to determine what Revan's ultimate fate would be. Just as the debates began, Andoa made his proposal to reprogram Revan's mind, making him loyal to the republic. Obviously, the idea was met with much opposition. After all, there was always a clear and present danger of Revan rediscovering his identity.

Just outside the council chamber, Bastilla and Jonlo were passing the time with a friendly game of Pazaak. After all the silence, Bastilla decided to break the ice. "So, How bad were Revan's injuries?"

"Why so concerned, Bastilla?" Asked Jonlo, his tone pressing.

"Me and master Vrook have a bet going that he'll be healed before the council can even decide his fate."

"I'm no doctor," said Jonlo, "But it was bad. He's essentially just meat, tubes, and Mandelorian Iron. Why'd you do it Bastilla? What have you two 'been through together'?"

"Nothing." said Bastilla, her tone becoming defensive.

"Let's see, a secret history together, he called you beautiful in the middle of the strike." Then it hit Jonlo like a ton of bricks. "Holy Bantha Poodoo… You loved him!"

"No. you don't know anything."

"Then why so defensive? Please tell me you didn't…"

"Absolutely not! Get your mind out of the gutter!" shouted Bastilla.

"Please tell me he at least used protection."

"Shut up Jonlo!" Bastill got up and stormed off just as Grandmaster Wisac left the council hearing.

"I kriffing hate these debates." He muttered to himself.

"Not going well I take it?" asked Jonlo, struggling to mimic the innocence of his adolescence.

"I swear there's more clashing opinions here than the Senate. More importantly, what's gotten into Bastilla?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's her time of the month."

"I have a feeling you started it."

"I'm bound by a vow of secrecy and cannot tell a word." said Jonlo. The grandmaster ruffled the Padawan's hair (or at least the fur on top of his head.).

"Stay out of trouble." said Andoa just before he walked off. The next day, the debate had gotten even worse. Everyone was shouting over one another, leaving Bastilla and Jonlo to hear every word. Andoa made a very good point. "He was a very powerful enemy, that much is certain. But, if we could reprogram him to be a more powerful ally, think of the fear he will instill in our enemies!"

Gorkle was next to speak. "Keep in mind, Grandmaster, that his natural strength in the force may eventually heal his mind. It's too great a risk that he'll remember who he is." Then, Atris spoke up.

"Aside from that, the knowledge to do what you ask is a favorite tool of Sith Inquisitors to take in and brainwash new recruits. If we use this technique, is Revan truly able to be redeemed? Is it worth tapping in to that ancient dark knowledge. I say we pull the plug and let Revan's injuries kill him." The other Councilers yelled in agreement until Michoa spoke.

"Have you learned nothing since he got here. Bastilla was doing the right thing when she saved him. No matter what crimes he committed, he does not deserve execution. I think we should give Andoa's suggestion some consideration. The sith have been doing this for years to their own evil ends, but we would be using it to redeem him. We can strip him of his connection to the force, put him with the republic as a simple footsoldier." The council utterly fell silent. Nobody had thought of making Revan a simple footsoldier. Suddenly, the council reached agreement and left the chamber. As usual, Andoa was the last to leave. He turned to address Jonlo and Bastilla.

"It's finally over. Once we heal Revan's wounds, he'll be reprogrammed as a footsoldier for the Republic and transferred onto the Endar Spire. This way, he won't discover his force connection or come back to bite us in the ass." he said.

"I hope not. Were it up to me, he'd be dead." said Jonlo. Andoa looked down disapprovingly. Maybe some additional measures must be taken to keep him on the path of the light and teach him a sense of responsibility.


	8. Chapter 7

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 7

Two years later, all fears of Revan were proven irrelevant and outright misplaced. Not only was Revan redeemed, but he destroyed the Star Forge and killed his former apprentice. He brought peace to the Republic and was awarded the Cross of Glory, the Republic's highest honor. Jonlo had ascended in that time as well. He had become a master of Jar'Kari and reached the rank of knighthood. In fact, in light of Revan's ascension, his tendancies were getting a bit darker. Little things that none of the others would notice, except for Andoa.

He was a bit concerned, of course. Jonlo's decisions only affected him, so maybe another who would be shaped by his decisions. It was of course rare for Jedi knights to take on apprentices, especially Jedi as young as Jonlo, but exceptions could be made for the plans of the Grandmaster. As it turned out, the council knew that such an individual was on the way from the enclave on Dantooine. A miraluka and a very special case. The grandmaster got out of his chambers and made his way to the mess hall.

Jonlo was in the middle of enjoying a nice bowl of soup. A few years back, the old soup machine finally broke down. The Coruscant HQ of Czerka Corporation donated a new one in an attempt to mend their broken image with the Jedi. Regardless of Jonlo's feelings for Czerka, (he viewed them as scum) their machines made good soup. Master Wisac appeared in the door to the mess and most of the students and masters fell silent as he made his way to Jonlo's table and sat down.

"Soup of the day?" he asked. Jonlo nodded and took another spoonful. "I have another assignment for you. The enclave on Dantooine is sending us a new padawaan. She's finished most of her training as a Consular, and was chosen to continue her education on Coruscant." Jonlo loked up at the grandmaster.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I need you to wait for her at the starport and bring her back." Said the Grandmaster.

"Why can't you just send Inaldra or Michoa?" asked the confused Shistavanen.

"Michoa is preparing for Master Revan's arrival and Inaldra's gone out on assignment for Master Atris."

"Allright, who am I looking for, again?"

"Jaigra Yvdet. She's a Miraluka. Tends to stand out in crowds. Can't miss her." Explained Andoa. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wafer-thin plastic card. "Here's a hundred credits in case you need to stop for lunch or if that speeder of yours breaks down. To be honest, it's a miracle that piece of junk is holding together."

"That is the product of shistavanen ingenuity." With that last note, Jonlo left for the garage where he kept his speederbike. It was an older Czerka model he scavenged off of a Sith regiment a year back. It was beaten beyond recognition, but the only thing that mattered was that she ran. He hopped onto the bike and donned his flight goggles, which gave him his own heads-up display. He firewalled the throttle and the built in navigation systems on his goggles guided him toward the starport closest to the Jedi temple. When he finally arrived, the engine caught fire and he jumped off immediately as the old speeder was consumed in flames.

Jonlo immediately surrounded it in a force barrier cutting the fire off from any and all oxygen. It was too late to save the speeder. Jonlo never cared for the speeder; after all, Czerka made it. But he was stuck in the starport and a hundred credits wouldn't even cover cab fare. He thought he was doomed until his eye caught a sleek black Aratech Hyperion luxury speeder. As far as he could tell, nobody owned it and the key was stuck on the outside. When he took it, he noticed his name carved on it. He took the key and kicked his speeder off of the boarding ramp and into the abyss below.

The shistavanen made his way through the crowds until he got to the baggage claim area. He joined some of the families with their signs and held up his own. Most of the arrivals were human, with a few Twi'leks and Togruta thrown in for good measure. Finally, when the crowds had died down, he caught sight of a beautiful, dark-skinned Miraluka. She was adorned in white robes with gold trimmed edges and a white veil so elegant, she appeared to be a senator. However, she was no older than Jonlo himself.

She walked over to him upon seeing her last name. Jonlo tried to introduce himself, but the Miraluka would not speak. She silently made her way to the baggage claim and took her rolling suitcase. Jonlo lead her out to the loading ramp where his new Hyperion was waiting. She loaded her bag in the back and took the passenger seat. Jonlo got in the driver's seat and started up the speeder for the first time. The engine howled to life and Jonlo eased it out towards the Jedi Temple.

The ride was smooth, much better than the old Czerka bike, and the interior was much nicer. Jonlo finally managed to get to the temples garage and parked his speeder in his reserved spot and he and his passenger got out and made their way to the archives to meet with Andoa and Master Revan. They saw that Revan was busy in talks with master Wisac. The pair almost turned around and left before Revan caught them. "Jonlo, Jaigra, welcome. I have a very special assignment for you." Said Revan.

The former dark lord carried an air of confidence and walked with a lightness in his step that rivaled the grandmaster. Looking at him now, it was clear to see the dark lord was truly redeemed. However, Jonlo still didn't trust him. "Yeah, I JUST got back from the starport and got a new speeder. Thanks for asking."

"It seems the looters on Korriban have missed one valuable artifact. A Sith holocron of my own creation. I want you to recover it so we can take it to the Rakata on Lehon. Only they should be trusted with it. The dark knowledge contained within should not be hidden where the Sith could find it."

"Before you leave," said Master Wisac, "I must speak to Jonlo alone." Jonlo was confused, but followed the grandmaster out to his chambers. "Do you really know anything about your heritage?" asked Wisac.

"Master Gorkle told me that my father was an ace pilot for the republic and my mother was in the senate."

"He wasn't telling the truth. He wanted to protect you from the harsh reality." Said the Grandmaster. After a long pause, Wisac finally divulged his hidden knowledge. "Your parents were of the Sith. Your father, Canis, died in battle against Mandelore the Ultimate and your mother now holds a prominent position in the Sith after Malak died. We met in the underbelly of coruscant. They were fleeing from a bounty hunter when I found them. I took them to the hospital and your father gave you to the order. He left you his lightsabers and this." The grandmaster produced a crystal pyramid from his pocket. "I have tried everything to activate it, but only strong dark side energy could work. Take it as a reminder to overcome your heritage."

Jonlo took the holocron in his hand and quickly pocketed it. "I will do you proud, Grandmaster." Jonlo gave a slight bow and walked out.

"Master Revan will take you and Jaigra to Korriban. She is now under your tutelage. You have an apprentice now." Said Andoa. Jonlo did hear it, but he couldn't believe it. He made his way to the hangar where Revan and Jaigra were waiting near a small shuttle. Revan would be flying it to the dreaded world and dropping off the others.

The ride to Korriban was long and uneventful. Despite all his attempts, Jonlo could not get Jaigra to speak. The ship came to land in the starport on Dreshdae, but it was totally abandoned following the Jedi Civil War. Jaigra and Jonlo got out of the shuttle and Revan flew off into orbit to await confirmation that the artifact was secured. Upon entering the city, Jaigra could sense no life. "There is a great darkness here." She said. "I think we may be the only ones left alive on this planet."

Jonlo was stunned. This enchanting Miraluka wasn't a mute after all! "Then we should get going. This city gives me the creeps." Jaigra nodded.

"Agreed. The artifact Master Revan seeks should be resting in the academy archives." They made their way through the ghost town of Dreshdae. Even the Czerka vendor posts were abandoned. They made their way through the city until they came upon the abandoned Sith academy. The lights were dead and the old place plunged in a thick darkness. Jonlo drew one of his lightsabers and ignited the blade, lighting the path before them. The shimmering silver blade provided a clearer view of the surroundings.

"What we're looking for should be in the Archives. We need to press on." Jonlo said. They made their way through the abandoned sleeping quarters and passed the reliquary to the archives. Just before opening the door, Jonlo drew his other lightsaber and ignited it. Getting the idea, Jaigra drew her own double hilted saber and ignighted both blades. The vibrant green illuminating her feathures. Jonlo sliced open the door and charged in only to stop in his path. He saw a female Shistavanen inquisitor sitting alone, reading an old manuscript by candle-light. Upon seeing her, he turned off his blades and holstered the hilts. Jaigra did so as well.

"I thought someone would come for my prize." Said the inquisitor. She rose from her seat and approached Jonlo. "I didn't think it would be you.

"The artifact you hold belongs to Master Revan!" shouted Jaigra.

"Ahh, yes. The Prodigal Knight. I thought he had abandoned the dark side 2 years ago."

"That is irrelevant, Sith. Hand over the holocron and I will spare you." Jonlo threatened.

"Why should I fight you? If you want this so badly, take it. The knowledge within is useless. Only 2 sith at a time, how would the order survive?" the inquisitor tossed the Holocron to Jonlo. "I don't see why Revan wants it, but tell him there is a greater threat to the galaxy than the Sith. Malachor V was just the beginning."

"Whatever, Sith. You're lucky I'm in a good mood. Let's get out of here, Jaigra. Revan should be waiting for us in the Valley of the Dark Lords."

"You'll never make it out of the academy on your own. This place is a maze. I'll guide you out to the Valley, but any further you'll be on your own." said the inquisitor.

"Why should we trust you if you won't even tell us your name?" asked Jaigra, trying to build some diplomatic ground.

"I am Darth Eva, lady of the night. But many know me by my birth name, Kipcha. Now, are we going to sit around and negotiate, Consular, or do you want to leave this desolate world behind?" Kipcha left the room and the two Jedi followed in behind. She lead them out toward the Valley of the Dark Lords and sent them on their way. Jaigra could sense Master Revan a kilometer away. She and Jonlo started walking out toward the shuttle.

Jaigra decided to break the silence. "For a Sith, Darth Eva seemed nice."

"She was a shameless self-preserver. The galaxy would be better off with all of them gone. We have many trials to face together. In time, you will learn that Sith are not to be trusted." The pair made it over to Revan's shuttle and boarded quickly. Clamboring to leave Korriban, and all its darkness, behind them.


	9. Chapter 8

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 8

After a year, things for Jonlo and Jaigra had taken a dramatic turn. After a few months of training, they realized that they had developed feelings for eachother. Fearing that the Jedi would forbid them from being together, they fled Coruscant to live on Manaan as Gray Jedi. However, Jonlo became angry at the order for disallowing their love and wanted to take revenge. He and Jaigra took a ship to Korriban to join with the Sith and exact revenge on the Jedi. While the Sith Order was in exile, another faction, the Wounds in the Force, was eager for new initiates.

And so it was that the pair would become lords of the Sith. Jonlo was trained by Darth Sion, lord of pain in the ways of Sith martial combat. Jaigra was under the tutelage of Darth Traya to learn the arcane secrets of the dark side. After training, the two were united as master and apprentice once more. Jonlo had taken the moniker Darth Lupis, Lord of the Night. Jaigra was now Darth Luna, Lady of Shadows. Jonlo's simple robes were replaced with the armor his father wore. Light, flexible, yet no known weapon had pierced it.

Jaigra took on the extravagant modernist robes of the inquisitors in Malak's reign. The two would spread terror in their wake as they went across the galaxy.

Jonlo walked the halls of the old Sith academy, reestablished by Nihilus and Sion. He had orders to head to Tatooine to eliminate his old childhood friend, the Twi'lek Inaldra. Months ago, he would not take such a request. He was different now. His brutality and bloodlust was now a spitting image of his father. Jaigra, however had to accompany him to seek out something Inaldra was hiding. What it was, Jonlo didn't know, but it was important to the Lord of Hunger. He had found Jaigra in her meditations and broke her trance.

"Time to go. We've got places to be and people to kill." said Jonlo. Jaigra stood and came to his side trying to get a chance of intimacy, but she soon recognized the importance of the upcoming mission and followed her lover to their ship. The pair boarded the _Moonlight Shadow_ and took her out of Korriban's orbit. Jonlo punched in the hyperdrive coordinates for Tatooine and let the autopilot run the trip.

Jaigra looked out longingly at the stars as they zoomed past, but Jonlo felt only the thrill of the chase. The ship came to a stop and Jonlo landed it on one of the Czerka pads in Anchorhead. Out of the garage, he brought his swoop bike to easily traverse the dune sea. Like his speeder, the swoop was top of the line and defined elegance. With Jaigra holding him tight, Jonlo sped through Anchorhead to the dune sea. Inaldra and a few settlers made a home for themselves in the cave where a mighty kraytt dragon once lived.

Jonlo managed to find the cave and brought his swoop to a halt. He and Jaigra got off and made their way into the mouth of the cave. Thirty meters in, Jonlo caught the Twi'leks scent. She was hiding among the treasures the dragon was guarding. He spotted some settlers among the refuse. One called out to his wife for his rifle. "What is it? Sand people?" she said. The man took his rifle and Jonlo broke out into a full run and Jaigra followed suit.

"I don't think so. There's only two." The man took his gun and aimed for Jonlo. "Stop where you are." He shouted. The two Sith lords kept on moving. "I will drop you in 3. 2. 1." Suddenlt, Jonlo drew his sabers and sliced the man's rifle in half before killing him. Jaigra quickly killed the woman with her force lightening, leaving a charred husk barely recognizable as human.

Jonlo heard Inaldra's heart racing. "You pulse quickened." he said. "Breathing is somehow difficult. You know, I missed you on Kashyyk by two days. I was behind you on Dantooine. And those Slekath scientists on Manaan… they were the least satisfying lives I've ever taken. Then, a bounty hunter on Nar Shadaa choked a name before I… separated him from his greed. And here I am ready to finish the job."

"Does Nihilus know?" asked a disembodied voice.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter. There is no Nihilus, no Jedi, no Sith. It's just you and me. Here and now."

"You've always beat me in combat on Coruscant. But I was a padawaan then. Now…" The voice belonged indeed to Inaldra. Proven as she leapt from the shadows and ignited her lightsabers. "I have surpassed you in your darkness." Jonlo laughed maniacally.

"I have grown as well. Now face the true power that the dark side offers." He ignited his sabers, the blades burning a brilliant blood red, and charged at Inaldra. Training under Sion, he learned everything about Ataru and all of it's fatal weaknesses. Inaldra came at him with a series of downward strokes, all of which were blocked and swiftly countered. She struck from the side, but Jonlo blocked that as well, and was able to inflict a mortal wound to her blind spot, causing her to stumble and fall.

She lay on the ground, pleading for mercy. "You don't have to do this, Jonlo. The dark taint hasn't taken over. You can still redeem yourself!"

"Jonlo Wadan is Dead. There is only Doarth Lupis!" said Jonlo. He struck her down with a barrage of force lightening, charring her flesh beyond any recognition. Only her leku betrayed the fact that she was a Twi'lek in life. Jaigra managed to find the artifact, an old Jedi holocron, but closer examination revealed it was a fake. She decided to leave it on Dantooine. With the Jedi enclave destroyed, the Sith were free to come and go as they pleased. The pair rode back to the _Moonlight Shadow_ and set course for Dantooine.

On Coruscant, Grandmaster Andoa Wisac was in the middle of his daily meditations when he was struck with a suckerpunch, the result of another Jedi's death. He was woken from his trance and made his way out to the hangar to get to his fighter. He jumped in and flew it out to orbit. He punched in the hyperspace coordinates for Tatooine. The ship jumped to the desert world and he entered the atmosphere. He reached out with the force and discovered what he sought.

He touched his craft down at the entrance to a massive cave. Upon entering the mouth, he was overwhelmed by the darkness within. He heard the roar of a Fury-Class sith transport and watched as it zoomed up past Anchorhead and into the stars beyond. In that moment, he sensed two familiar auras. _No_, he thought. _It can't be._ He ventured further into the cave and soon wished he hadn't. He drew his lightsaber to provide some light. He came across three corpses. A human charred beyond recognition, another human bifurcated and a Twi'lek burned to a crisp. He knelt beside the Twi'lek and held his hand to her forehead. He reached into what was left of her mind and discovered the terrible truth. His worst fears were confirmed. Jaigra and Jonlo had fallen so far. Such boundless potential now wasted.

Andoa was overcome by a powerful rage and he released a powerful force shockwave that almost caused a caved in, but it all held together. Even amongst the charred remains of the settlers and Inaldra, there was life. Chirping among the remains of the archeological camps was a poor infant Drexyl. How it got there was anyone's guess, but Andoa took the poor creature back with him to care for. To save at least one life was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. The hardest part was yet to come, how to break the news to the Council that their two most promising padawaans were now dark lords of the Sith.


	10. Chapter 9

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 9

It wasn't unusual for the true Sith Empire to send assignments to the Wounds in the Force. This way they could operate in secret. Today was one such day. Darth Traya was carrying a holorecord sent from the Sith emperor containing instructions for a political assassination. Traya never did that sort of thing, but she knew Jaigra was quite adept at such things. She wandered through the halls of the Korriban academy in search of everyone's favorite miraluka. She wasn't in her own quarters and she wasn't in the mess hall. That meant she could only be one place, Jonlo's quarters.

When she got there and opened the door, she saw that the two were in the heat of passion, and her eyes went wide, she just stood awkwardly while the two quickly covered up in their non-combat attire. "What the hell are you doing here, Traya?" Jonlo snapped. The last time anyone walked in on him and Jaigra, they got decapitated. Traya was on her first strike.

"Orders from the emperor. The Selkath ambassador Bahto Remora will be addressing the senate to bring the Selkath into the Republic. Jaigra will be needed to ensure he doesn't make that speech."

"I'll fly her there. But get the kriff out of my room!" Traya left the two alone while they got ready for their mission.

Back on Coruscant, a Selkath ship from Manaan had arrived in the starport. The Selkath ambassador Bahto Remora walked into the central hub with two Echani bodyguards watching his back. He was met by Michoa Starsong, who was to take him to the senate building for his address tomorrow. Michoa was calm and serene as always, but Bahto was in a clear hurry to leave public space.

He was under a lot of fire from the public of Manaan. For generations, the Selkath have valued their neutrality, which has kept them safe from both the Sith empire and the Republic. Now, the empire was using something called Bacta, a synthetic product derived from Kolto harvested by Republic scientists in Ahto. The Republic is using Bacta as well, but Manaan has outlived its usefulness to the Sith.

Michoa took Bahto to her speeder and his bodyguards followed. She set him up in her office. While she was the Jedi Council's representative on the senate, her loyalty was first to her order. Bahto laid his bags down and sent his bodyguards to guard the door. Michoa left the ambassador to his affairs and went back to the Jedi Temple.

The _Moonlight Shadow_ was zooming through Coruscant. The small Fury-class transport was just as at home in the city worlds as anywhere else. But its sharp edges stood out from the other ships of the republic. It didn't need to blend in; after all it would only be there for a few more hours at best. Jaigra was growing impatient. She wanted to get in and end the ambassador's life. Jonlo had to be careful and take paths where the _Moonlight Shadow_ wouldn't be seen by passersby.

After a long time, the pair made it to the senate building. Jonlo let Jaigra out near the entrance and Jonlo pulled away and put the ship into stealth mode. Jaigra raised the _Moonlight Shadow_ on the comm. "Jonlo, can you hear me? I'm on approach. Do you know where Bahto is staying?"

"I've got the schematics on my terminal. You'll find him in Michoa's old office. If you take the left passage, you should avoid a lot of the through-traffic. Just use your skills as a Shadow and you'll slip in undetected." Jonlo explained. Jaigra called upon the force to make herself invisible to those who could not feel the force. With this protection, she walked through the halls of the senate building.

Silently she moved passed the various guards and senator, unseen amongst the crowd. She came to the door of Michoa's office and the Echani mercs guarding it. She ignited her lightsaber and, gripping it in her fist, puched the center of the door, decapitating the Mercs with her twin blades. She released her hold on the force, llowing her to be seen by all. She snuck up behind the ambassador and just before she could strike him down, her blade was blocked by a shimmering green blade.

"Michoa Starsong. You can't just leave us alone, can you?"

"Not when you ally with Nihilus and his Wounds." Jaigra made a quick break for it to the nearest window and raised her lover on the comm..

"Mission's compromised, Remora's alive and Starsong's riding my ass."

"Tracking you now," he said. "Take the left corridor and it'll bring you to a window right above me. Jump and the _Shadow_ will catch you. Just like Irridonia." Jaigra ran toward the window and stood with her back to the Coruscant skyline. Michoa caught up and stopped a solid meter away.

"Why'd you do it, Jaigra? You had more potential than anyone we've seen!" shouted Michoa.

"Love, passion. You act as though they are to be tossed aside. You wouldn't allow us to be together. The Sith embrace it. It powers our strength in the force. It makes me more powerful than you!" Jaigra jumped out of the window and landed atop the _Moonlight Shadow_. Jonlo opened the emergency hatch and Jaigra leapt in. Just before the ship took off, Michoa pulled out a homing beacon and threw it at the ship before it took off.

The _Moonlight Shadow_ zoomed off back to Korriban and even though Jaigra failed, ambassador Bahto Remora would not make that speech. Michoa raised the Grandmaster on the Comm. "Bahto's safe, but his assassin got away."

"Was it a bounty hunter?"

"No," she said. "Jaigra made the attempt on his life. I tagged their ship."

"Excellent. Get back to the temple." Michoa made her way out to her speeder and got back to the temple.


	11. Chapter 10

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 10

Dantooine, home to the old Jedi enclave. Where Revan was redeemed and Bastilla trained. Now, it was a battlefield. The enclave little more than a smoldering hole in the ground. The wealth of knowledge underneath was what people were truly after. Even the Wounds in the Force were after it's archives and artifacts. Leading the charge were Darth Nihilus's favorite pair. Jaigra and Jonlo Wadan led a small qroup of acolytes to lay claim to the temple. Jaigra turned to address the fledgling Sith. This would be their final test.

"Wounds in the Force, dark knights of Korriban, hear the call of the Dark Lord! Darth Nihilus watches over us, minions! Leave only ashes and misery in your destructive wake! The death march BEGINS!" she shouted. Her students rallied behind her. They quickly charged toward the Enclave and cut down any settlers and mercs in their way.

The enclave was guarded by none other than Andoa Wisac and Michoa Starsong. They were accompanied by a contingent of Republic Commandoes, the backbone of Andoa's private army. Michoa sat cross-legged in a trance. She was using the art of battle meditation to bolster her forces. With the commandoes were 2 jedi knights.

Jonlo and his team ran and engaged the Republic force. The battle was fast and at times the force users were mere blurs in the heat of combat. When the dust settled, all the acolytes lay dead and three commandoes survived. Jonlo was striken with a terrible pain and was kneeling before his old master. Jaigra stood at his side. _What's happening to me?_ He thought.

"Bring them before the Enclave!" Michoa ordered.

"Stand down, Jaigra. We've lost. The light… this place… no hope."

"Have you learned nothing, boy?" said Andoa. "You have become all that you used to fight against. Like that coward Nihilus, you allowed yourself to be consumed by the darkness, the hate. Feeding upon the misery of those you've tortured and killed. Your master knows what lies in the sublevels, which is why he dares not show his face What you're feeling now is the anguish of a thousand lost souls. Souls that you and your master brought here. He sent you and these acolytes to meet their doom, Jonlo."

Breathing heavily, Jonlo ignited his sabers and stood to his feet. "Save your breath, old man. For it will be the last you ever draw." Just before he charged at the grandmaster, his holocron slipped out of his pocket and, feeding on his hate, spontaneously activated. Jonlo knelt back down before the image of his father.

"My son, my dear beautiful boy. You have learned all I can teach, but you fail to understand one concept. The choice between light and darkness is not one made for you by your ancestry or your upbringing. That choice is yours alone to make. Do not forget…" Behind the young Shistavanen, Darth Nihilus, Lord of Hunger, held his hand out toward the holocron and drained it of all its power, severing Jonlo's last link to his father.

"_Touching_." Said the dark lord. The mere sound of his voice sent Jonlo into a terrible pain, drawing anguished snarls from the poor Shistavanen. Andoa's strength in the force protected all the others. "_He is mine, now._" Jonlo struggled to his feet and took out his sabers.

"You…Betrayed me." he said as he ignited his blades. "You betrayed us all, monster. Face my wrath!" With all his might, Jonlo charged toward the Lord of Hunger, but was lifted into the air and Nihilus hurled him toward a nearby tree, knocking him unconscious.

"_Pathetic_."

"You're a damned monster, Nihilus!" Andoa shouted.

"_You were right,Wisac. I did send them in to die. Their lives are meaningless. But yours… It was so simple to bring the great Andoa Wisac out of hiding. You've left yourself exposed .Now…_" Nihilus drew his lightsaber and ignited the crimson blade. "_nothing can save you._" Nihilus charged toward Andoa and they engaged in combat. Andoa was able to block every one of Nihilus's blows and was calm in the face of his mindless fury. Saber combat was getting nowhere.

Nihilus leapt a great distance back and unleashed a torrent of force lightening. Andoa countered with a wave of light side energy. The two were at a standstill. Suddenly, Jonlo awakened from his comatose state upon remembering his father's final words. "That choice is mine alone to make." He said to himself. With renewed Vigor, Jonlo rose to his feet and ran to Andoa's side. To press the advantage, he cast great bolts of force lightening against his former master. Nihlus was losing the battle, but Andoa and Jonlo alone were not enough to turn the tide. Jaigra and Michoa added their own light and dark powers to the fray, shattering Nihilus's bolts and actually wounded the Lord of Hunger.

"_Impossible._" The Lord of Hunger staggered away. "_When next we meet, it will not be on sacred ground, Grandmaster_." In a cloud of black and red mist, Nihilus disappeared from Dantooine. Jonlo turned to face the Grandmaster.

"What did he mean, 'bring the great Andoa Wisac out of hiding'?" asked the Shistavanen.

"The Jedi High Council was killed on the Miraluka colony of Katarr. The Miraluka died along with the Council. We went into hiding to flee from Nihilus. Now he knows we're here." Andoa explained. Jaigra's muscles locked up and she stood stiff.

"My home… gone. The bastard." Her voice was heavy with sorrow. Desperately, she wanted to make Nihilus pay.

"We can't stay here. Nihilus will come to us on this world. We need to disappear." said Michoa. As the dust settled, the group noticed a lone commando emerging from the bodies of his comrades.

"Uuhhh. I hate this job."

"Cody, you son of a bantha!" Andoa shouted. The wounded commando limped toward the rest of his party. Upon getting to Jonlo, he grabbed the Shistavanens hand and threw the poor creature over his back. Jonlo howled in agony.

"Ow. Why'd you do that?" he asked.

"A small price to pay for what you bastards did." said Cody. Jonlo had to get up on his own Wisac refused to help the former Sith Lord. Andoa turned to address his lieutenant.

"Get the survivors to the Venator. Take her to the outer rim and wait for my signal." He ordered. "Hide her on that volcanic world we found and set her down in a dormant basin." Cody saluted and the survivors took the shuttle back to the massive capitol ship.

"We should take the _Moonlight Shadow_. She's faster and less conspicuous. Plus, she can accept new codes almost instantly." Said Jonlo.

"The only question," said Jaigra, "is where we should go."

"Nar Shadaa," said Wisac. "The smugglers moon. The best place in the galaxy to get lost. Nihilus would never find us there." After much deliberation, it was decided that Nar Shadaa was the best place to go. The party boarded the _Moonlight Shadow_ and the two Jedi were overcome by a feeling of unease. Unlike the calm and serene quality of their own ships, the _Moonlight Shadow_ was cold, aggressive, heartless. All qualities of the Sith themselves.

Jonlo and his Lover went up to the cockpit and prepped the ship for take-off. It lifted off the landing pad and took off into orbit. Rather than Hyperspace, Jonlo sent the ship into lightspeed and would pilot it to Nar Shadaa manually. It would take longer than a Hyperspace jump, but it was safer with the _Moonlight Shadow_'s stealth dirve.

Jaigra sat beside her lover, but the two never shared a word. All of Jonlo's energy was concentrated on flying the vessel to it's destination. He had not only been witness to a terrible tragedy, but the guilt over causing many others was catching up to him. It showed in his eyes, the very expressive eyes his race possessed. He was deeply saddened, and the force bond they shared allowed her to feel his pain.

"Jonlo," she said. "I'm sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for? I was the one who chose to follow Nihilus. You tagged along for the ride."

"I'm the reason you fell to the dark side in the first place. Our love evolved into the passion that accelerated your fall. I should have seen this but…" Jonlo reached a hand out and slid it across the Miraluka's face.

"It's not your fault. We're with the Jedi again, and we can still be together. If you could just let me concentrate now, we'll figure everything out when we touch down." The rest of the flight passed in silence for the two. They all wanted to get back at Nihilus, but striking at him now would be suicide. They had plenty of time to plan, but the wait would be agonizing.

A few hours later, Jonlo touched the vessel down onto a vacant landing pad. He and the others left the ship and walked out into the central hub which lead everywhere. Jonlo looked around and found the sign for the mechaninc's shop. "You guys go on," he said. "I'll catch up to you later." The rest of the group moved on, but Jaigra ran to her Lover's side. The pair went into the shop and found an old protocol droid and the Sullistan owner. "Excuse me, sir. But do you deal in starships?"

"Ah visitors. Yes, I have some good models up for grabs, if you're here to buy." said the owner.

"Actually, I have one that I'm looking to sell. It's in great condition. Fury-class transport fresh off the line from Czerka on Tatooine."

"Jonlo," said Jaigra, "are you sure about this?"

"It's just another part of a past I'd rather forget. Besides, we could get some good credits for it."

"That's a rare find. Old Sith starships could fetch quite a penny on the black market. How much do you want for it?"

"A million credits." said Jonlo

"I can't go higher than 250,000."

"Take it," said Jonlo, "I just want it out of my life." The Sullistan handed Jonlo a chip containing the credits for his starship. "It's on landing pad 210." With that, Jonlo left to follow the others and Jaigra was close behind. The pair made their way out to the cantina, where the other's were no doubt setting up camp. When the arrived near the apartments, Jonlo wandered off to the cantina and went straight in. He took a seat right up at the bar. "Get me the strongest drink you have."

"Rough day?" asked the bartender. He got out a bottle of a bubbling green liquid and poured a glass for the depressed Shistavanen.

"You have no idea what I've been through." Jonlo said. He took a swig from his glass. The drink was like a fire in his blood. "I hurt people. I'm a dick."

"Is that really so bad?"

"In one year, I killed my closest childhood friend, aided in the attempted assassination of a Selkath ambassador, and got over twenty people killed. How is that not so bad?" Jonlo asked. He took another sip.

"Nobody ever said it was easy being a bounty hunter." Said the bartender. It was a common mistake people made when they saw Jonlo's armor. "But being a dick ain't so bad. You got three kinds of people. You got dicks, pu$$!es, and $$holes. Pu$$!es think everyone can get along and $$holes $#!7 on everything. But dicks get things done. Pu$$!es and dicks might get mad at each other once in a while because pu$$!es get ****ed by dicks. But dicks also **** $$holes. And if they didn't, the whole ****ing galaxy would be covered in $#!7." Jonlo thought on the words of this vulgar bartender and took another gulp of his unusual beverage.

"Thanks for the advice, man." Jonlo got up to leave. "By the way, you'd make a good senator." The armored Shistavanen walked out of the Cantina. He made his way into the neighboring apartment complex to meet with the others. It turned out that Andoa had paid for them to have separate rooms. Jaigra called out to Jonlo and came out to bring him to their room. Once inside, he shed his armor, revealing his basic sith robes. The smell of alcohol on his breath would have got any other canine species drunk, but not Jaigra.

Jonlo sat down on the table with his face in his hand. Jaigra came to his side and sat before him. "What's wrong? Something's been bothering you ever since we got to the smugglers moon." she said.

"I… I can hardly face myself anymore, that's what's wrong. I've killed more men than died at Malachor V and all in the name of a Dark Lord I was too afraid to defy. I had fallen so far since my days as a Jedi. I'm a coward."

"Jonlo Wadan is many things, but he is no coward." she said. "You are bravest Shistavanen I've ever met. You've done all you can to protect me. I love you like no other before. I stood beside you at Hutta when you lead the charge to free the Twi'lek slaves. I saw your face as you watched your troops die on Tython. There are men who struggle against destiny, only to achieve an early grave, men like the acolytes and Darth Malak. There are those who flee destiny, only to have it swallow them whole. Then there are men like you. Those who embrace destiny and never show their fear."

"Spare me, Jaigra. I deserve that early grave."

"But those who embrace destiny, never show their fear, and never look back are the ones who change the galaxy forever. The force had its hand in this. It has a will of its own. We've been given this second chance to make Nihilus regret everything he's done." Jonlo rose from his seat and Jaigra did the same.

"I knew there was reason I loved you." he said. They drew eachother into a loving embrace and went off to sleep. The next day, they went out to find a way to look less conspicuous. Jonlo got his armor painted in republic colors to give off the image of a veteran. Jaigra, ditching the extravagant robes of the inquisitor for something far more modest. And on the smugglers moon, they waited. Until a chance to strike back at Nihilus presented itself.


	12. Chapter 11

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 11

After two years, still nothing had happened. Nihilus had attempted no move on Nar Shadaa and Andoa's party was at very much the same place they started. Which is, to say, nowhere. Rumors still persist that one of the high council was on the smiggler's moon, but Andoa would reveal nothing. The years were uneventful and not much had changed. Jonlo had developed, then eventually conquered, a drinking problem. Andoa took up gambling to bring in a few extra credits. Michoa was getting out more and meeting people. In contrast, Jaigra was becoming less social, at least on Nar Shadaa. She wouldn't see most of those people again anyway.

However, events for the party would take a dramatic turn. One day on the standard grocery run, Jonlo and Andoa were heading out to the markets while the ladies did…whatever it was they did. While Jonlo was examining produce, Andoa pointed out a potential threat. "6 o'clock. Human female. Recently-finished lightsaber."

"Split up. I think it's me she's after." Jonlo said.

"Agreed. Keep going straight ahead, I'll break right." And so they split off into different paths. Jonlo was wrong. The human was following Andoa. Andoa for his part was leading the human female very well, giving Jonlo the perfect chance. The Shistavanen ran as fast as his legs could carry him toward a back alley. Just when she walked past him, He grabbed her by the collar of her robes and dragged her into the alley.

He ignited his lightsaber and held it to the female's neck. He took in her scent, almost relishing in her fear. "Your aura is… hollow. Like Nihilus, you are a wound in the force. Why are you here, woman?"

"I… heard master Zez-Kai Ell was on this world. I'm here to…"

"To kill him like the others? Is that why your Dark Master sent you?" Jonlo snarled. From behind, the Shistavanen heard the footsteps of his master. "Just in time. I caught this wound here. What should we do with her?"

"Let her go, Jonlo. She will do us no harm." said Andoa.

"But master, she is a wound in the force. Like Nihilus, she…"

"I know her," said Andoa, "She was the only one of Revan's followers to come back and face judgement." Jonlo released his prisoner and disengaged his blade. "Come with us exile, there is much to discuss." Jonlo and the human female followed Andoa out toward the apartment complex they sheltered in. "There is much you must know. Terrible things have happened since you left us."

When the trio finally arrived. They brought the female to Jaigra and Michoa. The two filled in the Exile on all that had happened after the Massacre on Katar, from both sides. Jaigra explained her part in hunting down the Jedi and Michoa tried to explain her part in preventing all this. However, The discussion with Michoa and Jaigra seemed to confirm the female's worst fears. The masters were dead. At least she thought. But she had to keep looking. Seeing the two Jedi and the reformed Sith as potential allies, she offered them the opportunity to join her on the Ebon Hawk. For lack of options, the party decided to join the human's cause and would assist her in her task.

The female, now having identified herself as the Jedi Exile, lead the party back to her ship and they all set up wherever they felt they could do the most good. Andoa set himself up in the cargo hold and went into a meditative trance. Jonlo moved up to the helm and sat beside the current pilot. He looked over at the Shistavanen then snapped forward and looked over again. "Um… Exile, could you get over here?"

The exile walked toward the helm at her pilot's request. "what is it THIS time, Atton?"

"Did you used to collect stray animals when you were a kid, because we really needed a Shistavanen." Atton said sarcastically.

"Concerned about him?" asked the Exile.

"It's just… look I know they're good pilots and all but…"

"I've had enough of this crap. My parents never should have left Uvena Prime to join the Sith." said Jonlo.

"And he's a Sith? I think he might actually eat me."

"I USED to be a Sith Lord, that much is true. But Shistavanen don't eat people. Human tastes terrible anyway. Not like Twi'leks or Bith."

"I was definitely better off in my cell."

"Listen," said the Exile. "If I found this guy so easily, imagine how fast I can replace you."

"Fine, but I'll be sleeping with one eye open from now on." Aton went back to his…whatever it was he was doing and Jonlo tried to familiarize himself with the controls of the modified freighter. They were vastly different than those of the _Moonlight Shadow_, but Jonlo would adapt in time.

Jaigra was looking for a place to stay that was unoccupied, until she sensed that another of her kind was onboard Revan's old vessel. She made her way through the garage, ignoring the zabrak mechanic and the floating remote. She came upon the door and opened it to find not just a fellow Miraluka, but her old childhood friend. "Visas?"

The crimson-clad Miraluka rose to meet Jaigra. "Jaigra, how did you survive Katar?"

"I didn't. I was taken to Dantooine long before Nihilus came. I guess… I was just lucky."

"You know there is no such thing, old friend." said Visas. "The force brought you to your master as well. Tell me, what is he like?"

"He's… not like others of his race. He's committed, loyal, and very loving. There are times I forget he is even a Shistavanen."

"You know what I mean, Jaigra."

Jaigra struggled to understand Visas's meaning when it hit her. "Oh… no we never… I mean… Why does it even matter?"

"So much for telling each other anything." Visas went back to her meditations while Jaigra went into the bed of the chamber, drifting off into sleep.

In the midst of the new arrivals, Kreia could not keep her concentration and had awakened from her trance. _My former student? Here?_ She arose from her seat and made her way toward's the other bunks of the ship. She opened the door to find Visas asleep and Jaigra meditating. "I never thought I would see you again. Not after you betrayed the Lord of Hunger on Dantooine."

Jaigra awakened from her trance and stood to meet her former master. "I did what was right. Nihilus will destroy everything. Including the Sith."

"Were you really following the light, or did you turn on us only to be closer to your Shistavanen lover?"

"I… We only embraced the dark side to be together and free from the Jedi's laws. We were weak, selfish."

"I would disagree. You have proven that Nihilus is not invincible. With your help, we may just bring him down."

"And how does that fit into your plans, Traya?"

"All in due time, Lady of shadows. All in due time."


	13. Chapter 12

Star Wars: Walking the Line

Chapter 12

Things for the Exile were not looking good. She had been captured by Goto and the Exchange and was held in Goto's flagship. The same ship responsible for halting any trade between Nar Shadaa and any surrounding worlds. So, Atton Rand had developed a rather clever plan to deal with the problem and save the Exile at the same time. The Ebon Hawk's codes had been changed so Goto would mistake her for a high-priority freighter and take it. Then, a group of picked individuals would accompany Atton to locate and retrieve the Exile.

Jonlo took the Ebon Hawk into orbit around the Smuggler's Moon. Just as he predicted, Goto's starship revealed itself and fired it's tractor beam at the Ebon Hawk, drawing the vessel in. Once inside the great vessel, Atton took Jonlo and Maria out toward the loading ramp. The ramp descended and the boarding party drew their weapons. "If you want to back out, Atton, now's your chance." Maria said.

"I wouldn't think of it. She's our top concern." Atton replied. They all rushed out at the enemies within Gotos great vessel. The boarding party fought their way to the Exile room by room. The flurry of Jonlo's blades kept the enemy occupied with defense while Atton's blasters and Maria's rockets ate away at what little Jonlo left behind for them. Finally they came upon the Exile and all rushed out back to the Ebon Hawk. They rushed in and the ship took off just as Goto's vessel began to heave and buckle, set to explode. Just as the Ebon Hawk entered the relative safety of Nar Shadaa's atmosphere, Goto's vessel erupted into a cloud of smoke and shrapnel.

Jonlo brought the Ebon Hawk to rest on her landing pad and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. After the whole ordeal, the Exile left the ship with Andoa and Visas to find master Zez Kai-Ell. Jonlo got up from his seat to walk around the ship and get to know the Exiles companions. Bao-Durr was a man of few words. Maria was familiar to him, in fact the two had fought several times, so he decided she would be best avoided if at all possible. But he sensed a darker aura, like that of an Inquisitor, but it was not Jaigra.

He walked in the direction of the dark aura only to find Jaigra's Sith mentor, Darth Traya. "How'd this Sith trash find its way here?" he asked no one in particular.

"You are not so high above me. Your lust for vengeance and the passion of your love for the Miraluka brought you down to our level. You are not so high and mighty yourself, Child of Canis."

"I know you have secret motives here, witch. Don't think I won't be watching you." Jonlo turned his back on the sorceress and went back to his post. Not long after he did, Jaigra made her way up to the cockpit to pay Jonlo a visit. Jaigra took Jonlo out of his seat and they started making out up against the astrogation computer. Atton was trying to concentrate on his ritual of playing Pazaak in his head. But his ritual had its limitations.

He finally snapped and broke his focus. "Why the hell do you have to do that here?" he shouted. Jaigra broke off from her lover and turned to face Atton.

"Because," she said. "It bothers you."

"Well, it's working. Stop it." Atton tried to stay focused and Jonlo went back to his copilot's chair. Just in time, too. The time had come to leave the Smuggler's Moon behind. Jonlo set up the engines just as the Exile came in and confirmed the destination on the astrogation chart. Dantooine, home to Jaigra's old academy, was next on the agenda. Once the Ebon Hawk had cleared the atmosphere, Jonlo firewalled the throttle and jumped to hyperspace.

After about an hour, the ship made it to Dantooine and came down for a landing. Jaigra and Michoa decided to accompany the exile on her mission to locate Vrook Lamar. When the party stepped out of the ship, they were greeted by a protocol droid that recognized Jaigra as a sith lord wanted across the outer rim and the core worlds. In response, Jaigra shocked the droid with force lightening until it exploded. The exile facepalmed and lead the party out to the old Matale estate. When they had entered the building, many people looked on them all with resentment.

Jaigra still wore her Inquisitor's robes, but as a mark of shame. Her own natural empathy alerted her to the hostile intent of all those around her. She could tell they all resented or despised the Jedi, but she didn't understand why. She wanted to leave. They came upon the main administrative office, and the two Consulars took seats while the Exile met with Administrator Adarre to find info on one of the missing Jedi masters.

When the Exile had finished with Adarre, Jaigra was anxious to get out of Khoonda. "Where should we start?" she asked.

"We'll start at the Enclave and see if we can find any clues. Then we'll go wherever the wind takes us." The Exile led her companions outside Khoonda and towards the ruins of the enclave. Upon arrival, the Exile sent Michoa back to the Ebon hawk and told her to send Jonlo out. When the Shistavanen showed up, the party continued on until they came across a group of salvagers running from the enclave.

Their leader turned back to address her underlings. "Is everyone here?"

"Wait," said one of the men. "Where's Johron?"

"You Idiot!" Shouted the leader. "He's the one with the backpack. If we go back there, the Laigrecks will tear us apart."

Jonlo walked up to the salvagers. "Let us in. We'll deal with the Laigrecks and save your missing man." One of the salvagers spoke up.

"Great. NOW the Republic decides to help. And since when are the Shistavanen even a part of it."

"Do you want to lose your salvage? Let us deal with it and you can save yourselves."

"I say we let the wolfman deal with it." The Exile and her party descended into the enclave sublevels. In Jaigra's mind, she saw the spirits of all those she trained with and under. She watched all her masters perish in the bombardment. She sank to her knees in depression.

"Malak destroyed it all. My life started here."

"What's going on?" asked the Exile.

"This happens whenever she enters somewhere that has seen a lot of death. She can see the last moments of the people's lives, and even years before. Darth Traya called it 'piercing the veil'."

"Is it common?"

"The Sith use it to feed on the misery that a place holds. Now, in her struggle for redemption, it's a curse." Jonlo walked up to Jaigra and placed his hand on her shoulder. He attempted to reach her through the force and "shut off" Jaigra's ability. "Come back to us, Jaigra. This place's past can't harm you. Remember the path to redemption."

Jaigra snapped back to reality and looked up at Jonlo. "I was doing it again, wasn't I?" Jonlo nodded. "Let's focus on clearing out the sublevels and saving this Johron person." The party proceeded through the sublevels clearing out Laigrecks as they went on. The party came to a chamber containing a body, but it was killed recently. Jonlo stepped up to it and knelt down for a closer look. He sniffed it for a bit and pulled a datapad from one of the body's pockets.

"This man was one of the salvagers." He said. Slowly, a Laigreck crept up behind Jonlo with lethal intent. Jonlo heard a voice in his head telling him to draw his blade. He pulled it out and sliced the Laigreck in half. The voice belonged to Andoa, and Jonlo silently thanked him. He proceeded to read the datapad more closely and discovered that it was a will. "Hard to believe this guy's married. It's a will. Fortunately, this isn't Johron."

"The leader said she would pay for the safe return of the bodies of her men." said Jaigra.

"I say we clear out the sublevels and then we take the bodies up top." said the Exile.

"Maybe we'll find the others. I have the scent of the salvage, we can use it to track down the other men." The two women nodded in agreement as Jonlo head off toward the scent of salvaged artifacts, happily chopping up Laigrecks along the way. The group came upon another salvager, but this one was dead as well. Jonlo knelt down to rifle through his pockets. As he did this, one of the Laigrecks crept up behind him, only to be fried by Jaigra's force lightning. Jonlo looked at the miraluka disapprovingly. "That isn't helping the whole redemption thing."

"Abilities are not inherently good or evil. It all depends on how you use them." Jonlo ignored the comment and dug out the datapad in the pocket of the other salvager.

"Another salvager. Still not Johron. We should keep looking." Jonlo got up and allowed the Exile to lead them on. Deeper they pushed into the sublevels until the party came across a large door, with no other way to go. Jaigra holds out her hand, drawing from the force to find out what potential threat awaits.

"The archives are through here," she said. "It seems we're not alone. I sense no darkness beyond those doors." Taking it as all the proof she needed, the Exile opened the door to find a blond human male on the other side in the archives. As soon as the human noticed the exile, He turned to give a polite bow.

"Thanks for the polite bow," said the Exile. "You must be a gentlemen."

"Actually," said the unknown human, "I am a historian and scientist working for the Republic. Although, I am certain my contemporaries would judge me more a historian than scientist."

"Then what brings you down here?" Asked Jaigra, a bit o anger in her tone. She was ready to kill him if he had turned out to be a looter.

"Like you, I was looking for some trace of the Jedi. I heard mention that one of the Jedi Masters had come down here, but I found no trace of them."

"Do you know what happened to them? The Jedi?" Jonlo asked.

"No. It's something of a mystery why they would exile themselves as they have. It's not the way of the Jedi to vanish in such a way… especially when the Republic is in need of them. I fear that there is something else at work, something that we cannot see." Jaigra hung her head in shame, knowing she was part of the reason. "Then again, perhaps the Jedi are hiding simply because so many people hate them these days."

"Why do you think people hate the jedi?" asked the Exile

"It is difficult sometimes for the Jedi to see such things, since much of it is rooted in human nature, and the Jedi are often removed from the events of daily life, insulated. But the Jedi Civil War was named such was because few in the galaxy can recognize the difference between the Sith and the Jedi. To them, they are both Jedi – with different philosophies."

"But the Jedi have protected the galaxy for centuries," argued the Exile, "they seek peace, often through sacrifice."

"Not always. Jedi often fall. They caused much harm on onderon for example. In the name of peace and protection."

"Jaigra and I are proof of that." Jonlo whispered. The historian continued.

"Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun, the two dark lords during the Sith War many decades ago, were once Jedi Knights, as were Revan and Malak. It is perhaps more amazing that some still trust Jedi after many have fallen and endangered the galaxy." Jonlo lowered his head. "It is also proof that a single Force wielder can change the face of the galaxy, and that is a frightening thing indeed."

"Kind of my fault." Jonlo whispered.

"I should be going." Said the exile as she moved forward. Suddenly, the Historian stopped them.

"Before you go, I had a question for you. You came to Dantooine in search of Jedi. Why?"

"I want them to answer for what they did to me." Said the Exile

"What answers do you seek?" asked the historian, "It has been my experience that jedi rarely answer such questions- or instead, indulge in half-truths."

"I need to know why they exiled me."

"Exiled you? It is strange they would sentence you and not speak honestly of your crime. It is not the way of the jedi to lie… well no, that is not true. There are times when truth is concealed, if they think a greater good can be achieved. But when such things are done, it is always done with the intention that the person they withheld truth from cannot be trusted with that knowledge. That it will bring harm upon themselves and others."

"Lying is lying, even from a 'certain point of view'."

"Perhaps there was some greater danger in you knowing the reason than in the reason itself. Strange. Mysterious are the ways of Jedi. Somethimes, they see things the rest of us do not. Other times, such sight brings arrogance- and a fall. In any case, it seems like our goals are compatible If you would have me, I can apply my knowledge and skills to helping you find the answers you seek."

"We're running out of legroom. Shistavanen need it for long journeys. And I'm NOT sleeping in the cockpit." Jonlo objected. The Exile, however, was oblivious to Jonlo's concerns.

"We would welcome your company. Our ship is out by Khoonda. It's the big red one." The historian left and Jonlo went to work on the mercenary bodies at the back of the archives. He sniffed around, noticing the scents of battle, cauterized tissue, blood. Kneeling down, he noticed carbon scoring on the bodies, and several severed limbs, something only a lightsaber could cause.

"Vrook was here. Theses mercs met their end, but he must have been taken elsewhere." said Jonlo.

"The crystal caves." Said Jaigra. "I sensed a massive force spike when we landed. I couldn't go there. I could go blind." The Exile led her party out of the archives and moved back the way they came. They had come close to the exit when They found a mercenary ambush. Jonlo drew his sabers and cut the leader down before he could even blink.

"Would anyone else like to fill his shoes?" Jonlo asked. The surviving mercenaries ran away, fearful for their lives. He disarmed his sabers and holstered them. "I used to tell them I eat people."

"Jonlo," said the Exile, "You and Jaigra should probably go back to the ship. Mical, Atton and I will handle things from here."

"We'll send them your way. They'll meet you at the cave mouth." Said Jaigra. She took Jonlo out to the ebon hawk where they waited for the exile's eventual return.


End file.
